Embodiments of a compact camera for imaging the ocular fundus are described. In some embodiments, the camera is a light, handheld camera that acquires a plurality of images of the fundus. The camera can be configured to acquire images manually or automatically. A movable imaging lens or movable image detector provides the images in a series to obtain an image with optimal focus. The camera can acquire a series of images and allow selection of an optimal image either manually, or automatically. In some embodiments, the camera is part of an imaging system that includes a base station. The base station exchanges data with the camera and can receive image data generated by the image detector of the camera. The base can further include networking capability, such that image data can be distributed over a network or to other communication or computing devices.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A compact ocular fundus camera system, for imaging at least a portion of a fundus of an eye, comprising: a camera comprising: a camera housing having proximal and distal ends; a contact member, positioned at or distal to a distal end of the camera housing, a portion of the contact member being configured to contact at least a portion of a cornea of the eye, and wherein the contact member is substantially transmissive of light; an image detector module, located proximally with respect to the contact member, the image detector module being configured to acquire an image of at least a portion of the fundus and to output data indicative of the image; and an imaging lens, positioned between the contact member and the image detector module, the image lens directing the image to the image detector module; wherein the image detector module and the imaging lens are coupled to the camera housing; wherein at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is movable substantially along an optical axis of the camera; and wherein the image detector module is configured to acquire a plurality of images of the fundus as the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moved along the optical axis of the camera from a first position to a second position, each of the plurality of images corresponding to a predetermined location of the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens along the optical axis between the first position and the second position, wherein the predetermined locations are independent of information acquired from the eye being imaged.
2. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moved within the camera housing by at least one of a release of potential energy that is stored in a biasing member coupled to the camera housing, electromagnetic energy, and a manually applied force.
3. The camera system of claim 2 , wherein the manually applied force is transferred by an operator to at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens by a lever extending outside the camera housing.
4. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moved within the camera housing by a release of potential energy that is stored in a biasing member coupled to the camera housing, and further comprising an operator-activated switch configured to release least a portion of the potential energy.
5. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of contact points, and wherein the image detector module is configured to acquire the plurality of images based on a relative position of the plurality of contact points with respect to at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens.
6. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging lens is movable with respect to the image detector module.
7. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging lens is movable with respect to the contact member.
8. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the image detector module is movable with respect to the contact member.
9. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the camera housing is elongate and is less than about 15 cm in its longest dimension.
10. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the camera housing is elongate and is less than about 10 cm in its longest dimension.
11. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a base station that exchanges data with the camera and stores the outputted data indicative of the image.
12. The camera system of claim 11 , further comprising a network interface, said network interface configured to exchange data between the base station and at least one of the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network, a metropolitan area network, a local area network, a virtual private network, and a wireless network.
13. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the contact member that contacts the cornea comprises a substantially concave portion.
14. The camera system of claim 13 , wherein the concave portion of the contact member has a radius of curvature that matches a radius of curvature of the cornea within a range of error from about 0% to about 30%.
15. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the contact member is configured to conform substantially to an anterior surface of the cornea when the contact member contacts the cornea.
16. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the contact member has a refractive index substantially equal to that of a cornea.
17. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one illumination source coupled to the camera that emits at least one of ultra-violet, visible, and infrared light.
18. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a data transmission module that exchanges information between the camera and at least one device peripheral to the camera, wherein the data transmission module further comprises at least one of a data transmission cable and a wireless transceiver.
19. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the contact member is movable, and the image detector module is configured to automatically acquire the plurality of images of the fundus when pressure applied to the contact member from the cornea causes the contact member to move proximally.
20. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of triggers, wherein each of the plurality of triggers corresponds to one of the different locations along the optical axis and each of the plurality of triggers is configured to trigger the image detector module to acquire one of the plurality of images when one of the image detector module and imaging lens passes the corresponding location.
21. The camera system of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of triggers comprises a plurality of contact points.
22. A method, of observing a fundus of an eye in a patient, comprising: providing a compact fundus camera, the fundus camera comprising: a camera housing; a contact member, located at a distal end of the camera, configured to contact at least a portion of a cornea of the eye, and wherein the contact member is substantially transparent to light; an image detector module, located proximal the contact member, configured to acquire an image of at least a portion of the fundus of the eye and to output image data; an imaging lens, located between the contact member and image detector module, that substantially focuses an image of the fundus on the image detector module; wherein the image detector module and the imaging lens are coupled to the camera housing; and wherein at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moveable substantially along an optical axis of the camera; contacting the cornea of the eye with the contact member; moving the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens along the optical axis of the camera from a first position to a second position; directing the image detector module to acquire a plurality of images of the fundus while the contact member is in contact with the cornea of the eye, while the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moved, and when the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is at predetermined locations between the first position and second position wherein the predetermined locations are independent of information acquired from the eye being imaged; and outputting the plurality of images to at least one image data file.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the image detector module automatically acquires the plurality of images upon contact of the contact member with the cornea.
24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising moving at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens substantially along an optical axis of the fundus camera during acquisition of the plurality of images.
25. The method of claim 22 , further comprising covering at least a portion of the contact member with a substantially translucent coverlet.
26. The method of claim 22 , further comprising illuminating at least a portion of the fundus of the eye with an illumination source.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the illumination source comprises an LED.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the illumination emits one of UV, visible, and infrared light.
29. A method, of observing a fundus of an eye in a patient, comprising: providing a compact fundus camera, the fundus camera comprising: a camera housing having proximal and distal ends; a contact member, positioned at or distal to a distal end of the camera housing, a portion of the contact member being configured to contact at least a portion of a cornea of the eye, and wherein the contact member is substantially transmissive of light; an image detector module, located proximally with respect to the contact member, the image detector module being configured to acquire an image of at least a portion of the fundus of the eye and to output data indicative of the image; and an imaging lens, positioned between the contact member and the image detector module, the image lens directing the image to the image detector module; wherein the image detector module and the imaging lens are coupled to the camera housing; and by moving at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens from a first point to a second point, relative to the contact member, along an optical axis of the camera, acquiring a plurality of images of the fundus as the at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is moved along the optical axis from the first point to the second point, each of the plurality of images corresponding to a different predetermined location along the optical axis, wherein the predetermined locations are independent of information acquired from the eye being imaged; and selecting from the plurality of images a selection image having an optimal focus relative to the others of the plurality of images and outputting the selection image to at least one image data file.
30. A compact ocular fundus camera system, for imaging at least a portion of a fundus of an eye, comprising: a camera comprising: a camera housing having proximal and distal ends; a contact member, positioned at or distal to a distal end of the camera housing, a portion of the contact member being configured to contact at least a portion of a cornea of the eye, and wherein the contact member is substantially transmissive of light; an image detector module, located proximally with respect to the contact member, the image detector module being configured to acquire an image of at least a portion of the fundus and to output data indicative of the image; an imaging lens, positioned between the contact member and the image detector module, the image lens directing the image to the image detector module, wherein the image detector module and the imaging lens are coupled to the camera housing and at least one of the image detector module and the imaging lens is movable substantially along an optical axis of the camera; and a plurality of physical triggers within the camera housing and disposed along a length of the camera housing, wherein each of the plurality of physical triggers corresponds to a different predetermined location along the optical axis and each of the plurality of physical triggers is configured to trigger the image detector module to acquire one of the plurality of images when one of the image detector module and imaging lens passes the corresponding predetermined location.
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September 28, 2007
September 28, 2010
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